as in killjoy
a person who spoils the pleasure of others
if you don't want to play, at least don't be a spoilsport
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spoilsport
Suddenly, the Republicans were the spoilsports who couldn’t take the joke, a position stereotypically held by politically correct liberals.
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Rebecca Jennings, Vox, 9 Aug. 2024
Millennial workers are increasingly becoming the office spoilsports, with young people increasingly likely to be in it for the money rather than for fun, as years of economic turmoil force them to keep their heads down, collect their monthly paychecks, and fight for a promotion.
—Byryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 26 June 2024
This spoilsport effort has become fodder for late-night comedy routines and gripes about liberal overlords such as Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg banishing all fun.
—Chicago Tribune, Twin Cities, 1 Feb. 2024
Be prepared to be labelled humourless, difficult, a spoilsport, and a ruiner of parties, meetings, dinners, and picnics.
—Natalie Gil, refinery29.com, 11 July 2023
See All Example Sentences for spoilsport
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spoilsport
Noun
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Such means of interpretation, according to a killjoy like Bellow, reduces the complexity, interiority, and negative capability of literature into the work of a cryptologist trying to crack a code, of an occultist parsing scripture for hidden meanings.—
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Not surprisingly, the overwhelming response from readers told me to stop being a killjoy.—
Noun
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Chabada For a livelier scene, head to the main drag along Platja de l’Arenal to find Chabada.—
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For spin gear, brands usually advertise drag ratings on saltwater fishing reels in pounds, but keep in mind smoothness under pressure, heat resistance, and consistency, too.—
Noun
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The belief by cynics is that Netflix wants to be a streaming service.—
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In the years after 1991, Russians were trained cynics, having lived through Soviet decline and collapse; forcing belief would be a difficult endeavor, with an unclear upside.—
Noun
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Court records viewed by NBC News revealed that the sequence of events that left Ross bloodied and bruised bore some similarities to the scenario that ended with Good’s death.—
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Games that are too easy bore older players, while overly complex games can frustrate younger ones.—
Noun
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If family needs cause drama, set kind boundaries and explain them to any complainers.—
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The faculty experience has been that administrations often side with the complainers.—
Noun
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Take, for example, a bowl of artichoke purée poured around a hillock of tender Jonah crab.—
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Long before food trucks, enterprising business types began selling devil crab on-the-go from their motor scooters and bicycles equipped with insulated carriers.—
Noun
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The nonprofit donated almost $200,000 to the church for the materials a grinch stole.—
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To play off the flavor of the candy, the grinch-green dough has a subtle cinnamon flavor of its own.—
Noun
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But renewables is a dirty word under the Trump administration, which has placed a wet blanket over renewable energy projects across the country.—
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Baumgartner’s torch—or wet blanket—was quickly picked up by another fellow Washingtonian, Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell, who during a Knight Commission panel discussion Thursday voiced concerns that direct PE deals could imperil the nonprofit, tax-exempt purpose of American universities.—
Cite this Entry
“Spoilsport.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spoilsport. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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